At that moment, Yuvan had yet to recognize Ted, since they'd only met briefly once. It had been a while, too, so it was understandable.However, whether he recognized the newcomer didn't matter—both he and Viper had already made their judgment. In all of Easton, everyone knew that Wolfie was Mr. Zarkonnen's most trusted and favored subordinate.Usually, Mr. Zarkonnen wouldn't dispatch Wolfie unless it was a matter of high importance, much less let the young man escort another person around. From that alone, it was easy to see that the newcomer was no ordinary person.Viper smiled coldly and said, "We don't know who this person is yet, but yeah, if Wolfie is personally accompanying him, he must be a big shot. Heh, with all these rumors about someone trying to unify Easton's underworld, and the old man's eightieth birthday coming up, I wouldn't be surprised if there's something more sinister at play here."It wasn't that Viper was overthinking things, but the idea of a complete takeo
Wolfie rolled his eyes, a familiar gesture of utter disbelief.He thought of what Ted said as nothing more than a terrible joke. No one in the world had the ability to utter something so silly, no matter how arrogant they were.He was planning on unifying Easton's underworld with just a simple chat?With just a simple chat, he planned on letting Viper Scorch give up on his influence in the underworld, supporting someone else to become its undisputed king?With just a simple chat, he wanted someone as notoriously vicious and unrelenting as Yuvan White to stop his plans and support them instead?Wasn't that anything more than a mere fantasy?Despite his thoughts, he didn't dare to actually say a word about it. Once Ted had his mind set, all he could do was follow suit.Besides, he'd be the first to applaud if Ted made a mistake or slipped up. If that ever happened, he'd be able to convince Mr. Zarkonnen to punish Ted, and he'd be able to have his revenge!Once he thought of this,
Having the goodwill of Yuvan and Viper alone would render Ted untouchable in the entirety of Easton. With their protection, anyone would have to think twice before crossing him.Ted looked at the two men in front of him and smiled, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't much effort, and I personally respect Mr. White too, so there's no need to keep talking about gratitude. Let's keep things natural, shall we?"Viper laughed boisterously. "You're a straightforward man, Mr. York! Alright, since you put it that way, I won't say more. But remember my words. If you don't mind, shall we be friends?"Yuvan smiled and nodded as well. "Viper might be blunt, but he never goes back on his word. Mr. York, would you be willing to become friends with us?"Their goodwill was, of course, due to Ted saving Adam's life. But even beyond that, a doctor of his caliber was always worth befriending.Ted nodded with a smile. "Of course, It would be an honor to befriend you, Young Master White
After speaking, Yuvan didn't wait for Wolfie to explain. He turned to Ted with a smile and said, "Ted, Viper, and I were wondering just now. Mr. Zarkonnen's house is usually so quiet, yet suddenly it seemed so lively today. We figured they must be anticipating a distinguished guest. Now it's clear... that guest is you."Wolfie didn't matter much, and even Mr. Zarkonnen wasn't a concern. However, Yuvan and Viper absolutely had to show Ted some respect. Fresh from forging an alliance, they weren't about to turn around and go after someone accompanying Ted. It wasn't about disrespecting Mr. Zarkonnen—it was about disrespecting Ted.Ted could tell that Wolfie's careless words had already offended Yuvan and Viper. And the insult hadn't stopped there—it had reached him as well.Ted chuckled. "Well, I'm hardly a distinguished guest. Mr. Zarkonnen invited me, and Wolfie personally came to get me. I couldn't refuse such a kind gesture. Plus, I knew the old man was turning eighty soon, so
This was exactly why they called Viper ruthless.His words sent a shiver down Wolfie's spine, even someone like him—who wasn't afraid of death.To be tied up, stripped down, and have it all filmed and posted? If that happened, forget about Wolfie's future in the business. It wouldn't just be his career that was over—his very dignity would be on the line too.The noise caught the attention of their respective men.Wolfie hadn't come alone. His men, witnessing the slap, surged forward in a rage. But the instant they recognized Viper and Yuvan, they faltered.On the other side, Viper's and Yuvan's men also moved in, clearly poised to escalate the situation to a full-blown fight.At that moment, Ted chuckled and spoke up. "Wolfie, do you still refuse to apologize? Or do you really think you're more powerful than Mr. Zarkonnen? I mean, even if Mr. Zarkonnen himself were here, I doubt he'd speak like that. So, what makes you think you have the right?"Viper burst out laughing, nodding
Viper was bold and arrogant, and his hostility towards a certain person was obvious.And yet, no one dared to say a word.Ted chuckled and nodded. He gave the two men a slight bow and said, "My sincere thanks. And rest assured," he added. "I'm not one to suffer in silence. If I feel wronged in any way, you'll be the first to know. I'll be sure to come running to you for justice."Everyone seemed pleased—except for Wolfie and his group.As they were about to part ways, Ted turned to Yuvan and said, "I'd appreciate it if you held off telling the old man that I've arrived in Eastport. I'll show up when the time is right."Yuvan paused for a moment, then smiled. "Got it. I know what to do. Oh, by the way, Ted—your wife received an invitation as well. Did she not accompany you on this trip?"At those words, Ted's expression shifted slightly. He merely offered a brief shake of his head. "She received the invitation and will come on her own. She doesn't need me holding her hand. But eno
The sudden, inexplicable slap left everyone in a state of confusion.It would've been one thing if it had been Viper who hit Wolfie. He was one of Easton's Three Giants, after all.But Ted?Who the hell was Ted?In full view of Wolfie's men, without uttering a single word, Ted simply lashed out and smacked him—leaving a vivid, red imprint on his face.Who wouldn't be furious?This was humiliation.Pure, blatant humiliation."You son of a b*tch! You've got a death wish!""You bastard! How dare you hit Wolfie? I'll kill you!""Screw it, we're going in! Even if Mr. Zarkonnen gets pissed, we need to teach this punk a lesson. Who the hell does he think he is?"A frenzy erupted as Wolfie's men surged forward, ready to rip Ted to shreds.Wolfie himself was practically shaking with rage, his eyes burning with fury. He could barely hold himself back.Hold back?Why should he hold back?He had just been slapped—twice.First by Viper, and now, unbelievably, even Ted dared to slap
Ted sneered, looking at Wolfie like he was the dumbest man alive."Did you just forget what I just said? You want an explanation? And why the hell do you think you deserve one? Because of your threats?"Ted scoffed. "Fine, here's the deal: if you've got the guts, kill me. You're out here barking orders, thinking you've got control, but you don't even realize how deep a hole you've dug yourself into. If it weren't for me today, you'd have screwed up one of Mr. Zarkonnen's most important plans."Forget about everything else and answer this—are you prepared to bear responsibility for that?"Wolfie was furious, but he was fiercely loyal to Mr. Zarkonnen and would never jeopardize his plans.Ted's words made his stomach twist."You're talking nonsense," Wolfie retorted. "When did I ever ruin Mr. Zarkonnen's plans? If you're talking about earlier—when I stopped you from getting too close to Yuvan and Viper—I can explain. I wasn't interfering. I was stopping you from running your mouth
Pantera smiled.He had been worried Ted would conceal the identity of this woman who had dumped him, only for this Panther of Melville to come running in and mention her out of the blue.It was a huge coincidence, but Pantera frowned at Panther's rude entrance without a knock.He stayed quiet, since Panther was supposedly Ted's friend, and waited to see how Ted reacted—even though Panther didn't really look like a friend.Wolfie, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and glared at Panther like he was an idiot.He knew a bit of the state of Easton's underworld and had more or less heard of Panther. He was at best a little infamous and didn't bolster much strength… to put it harshly, Mr. Zarkonnen and the others really didn't care about him.And while Wolfie wouldn't have cared what Panther did to Ted before, things were different now.As such, both Wolfie and Pantera stayed silent, waiting to see what Ted would do.That was when Ted frowned at Panther and asked quietly, "Panther, you say?
Ted York, the former Quill family heir, also known as Theodore the Magnificent, King of the Celestial Throne, the Forsaken Emperor whose name shook the world, and the Tenth Monarch whose existence left the world breathless, was divorced? And dumped?Was that even remotely possible? The woman had to be crazy to do that.Beyond others, the countless women who admired Ted York would've all gone crazy for him.Even Wolfie, who had been silent as he stood nearby, could see that Pantera was skeptical.Pantera aside, he himself was left to wonder.He naturally knew about Ted's divorce but didn't have all the details. While he thought nothing of it before, having been around Ted and seeing the things happening around him left him questioning if Luna Lambert was really worthy of Ted.Finding a man like Ted was nothing less than a miracle against all odds, yet Luna dumped him, just like that?She had to be deranged…Nonetheless, Ted, smiling, asked quietly, "When have I ever joked about
Meanwhile, Panther put away his phone and looked up at the sign that said 'Charity Hearts', hesitant if he should barge in to capture Ted York or wait outside.He couldn't make a scene, not in Eastport—Luna notwithstanding, he himself was reluctant, as things could go bad if his presence there became known.Checking the time, he mused to himself for a moment before turning to his henchmen. "Do you think we should wait or go in?"Naturally, we have to be quiet even if we are grabbing him. Ideally, we should force Ted to come quietly so that no one notices."Panther's henchmen were left scowling at his question.How were they supposed to respond? Why were there so many restrictions when they were supposed to just grab one man?Sure, there were pros to going in, but that was only if Ted came quietly with them.One of them said, "If it were up to me, we should go in. Let's pretend to be customers, and once we find where Ted is, we will go up to him and greet him like we're old frien
Luna continued, "Moran Group has a strong influence in Easton, the family is not to be underestimated. Most importantly, they are a client we got with our own efforts, and that makes them our contact. If we want respect, we need to accomplish something on our own instead of relying constantly on others' connections."Josie nodded quietly, though she appeared hesitant. "Do we really have to? He's nothing good, and he was already lusting after you the first time. It'd be dangerous if we went straight into his turf."Leslie Moran's entire appearance was inherently sleazy—fiftyish, balding, and fat-bellied—but the man was somehow even sleazier than he looked.The prior breakdown of negotiations stemmed from Leslie's solicitation of sexual favors, including engaging in overtly frisky and vulgar conduct at the table.Just remembering it left Josie sick, as she had been molested herself. While Luna had the White family's protection, Leslie didn't know that, revealing his true nature.H
Upon Panther's arrival at Easton, Luna and Josie, having departed earlier, naturally arrived as well.However, they were still in Luna's car, and Josie promptly put Panther's call on speaker so Luna could hear everything.Orphanage? Orphans? Spending the whole morning playing?Luna was perplexed—did Ted lose his mind? Did he really think she wouldn't find him?And instead of fleeing, he ran off to be charitable? Did he truly have nothing better to do? Or perhaps he was hoping to build good karma?Still, she remained indifferent to Ted's true thoughts and promptly told Panther, "Just do as I said before. I don't care what you do as long as you grab and restrain him."Panther promptly nodded. "Alright, Ms. Lambert! Don't worry, I know what to do. It might take some time since you told us not to cause a scene, and this restaurant—Charity Hearts, is a little important, so we have to be smart about this. But don't worry, it will be done in an hour."Luna cared little about the proces
Would anyone believe it even if they were told? Naturally, there was a chance that it was true, but how important did the family have to be to actually disrespect someone like Pantera?And while Pantera knew nothing about Ted's personal life, Wolfie did all too well.The man wasn't just married—he was divorced, and to add insult to injury, he was labeled a loser and the one who got dumped.To Wolfie, it still felt like a dream.On top of that, he was interested to see how Luna Lambert would react upon discovering this. After all, the ex-husband whom she had deemed a loser turned out to be the former heir of the Quill family, a prominent guest of the White family, Viper Scorch's friend, and now, Pantera Medlar's esteemed boss.Still, it would most likely feel like a lottery winner who lost their ticket—they'd be wishing they were dead.On the other hand, Pantera's question left Ted in silence.Should he lie? No, that was unnecessary.And he wasn't afraid of embarrassing hims
When Ted York started laughing, Wolfie should have done the same, as should anyone given the opportunity to be acknowledged by a member of the Celestial Throne.But now, he didn't think of it that way. As soon as he found out about how mysterious and powerful Ted really was, he promptly threw away all his opinions and observations towards the man, because none of it was right.Seeing Ted's laugh now, Wolfie didn't perceive joy, but the same amusement he saw in Pantera.Still, Pantera actually couldn't quite catch up, and turned towards Ted as he blurted in disbelief, "I mean, I don't care how ambitious this Zarkonnen character is, but he really has the support of the East King and Lord Cloudrider? Haha! When did the Celestial Throne change its policy?"Pantera merely chuckled and eyed Wolfie. He couldn't say it because his presence might derail Ted's plan.Ted simply smiled faintly in return and said quietly, "People change, just as time changes a great many things… including pe
Pantera pursed his lips—what was wrong with Theodore the Magnificent? And it was certainly much better than 'Pants'!However, there was no helping it since Ted was the boss, and even if Pantera was himself a big deal to everyone else, he was still just an obedient henchman to Ted, a fact he would never dare argue.Ted chuckled just then. "Relax—no need to get so nervous, Wolfie. Just remember what I told you, and proceed as you should. It won't affect me if you spill the beans, but I'm going to be really upset. And if I'm upset, everything you begged for earlier won't count. Understood?""Remember the story I told you earlier? So cherish what you have and don't disappoint me."Regardless of whether Ted's words held weight, they were certainly preferable to no assurances.Wolfie was immediately profoundly grateful towards Ted, and he suddenly saw him in a different light.All the animosity and resentment Wolfie had previously harbored suddenly turned into boundless admiration for
Wolfie, however, remained on his knees, trembling and afraid to make a sound.At this point, whatever Ted York said was law—Wolfie would not dare offer even a whisper of dissent.However, he was genuinely worried about Mr. Zarkonnen, which was why he disregarded what happened to himself and begged Ted.He would never believe anything Ted said, but he was powerless, and he suspected that he wouldn't leave alive.Was what he was witnessing knowledge he should possess?Absolutely not. It had to be a secret, but Ted wasn't keeping him out of the loop.What did that mean? Was he planning to silence him? Wolfie did not even dare to think. He tried nonetheless, "M-Mr. York, I don't mind dying, and I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but I owe Mr. Zarkonnen a tremendous debt and he saved my life on numerous occasions, and I couldn't repay him. All I can do is implore you to spare his life, and I will die without regret. Please find some mercy in your heart…"Ted sighed,